On 3 September 1939, the prime minister Neville Chamberlain announced to the British public that the country was, once again, at war with Germany. For the second time in 25 years the people of Britain had to prepare for another gruelling conflict — one which was likely to be far more devastating than the Great War.
The Second World War spread across the globe to a far greater extent than the 1914–18 struggle. With threats to British interests extending beyond Europe it was vital that the military was in a position to defend those endangered areas. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Britain joined its US ally in declaring war on Japan. This meant that not only did Britain have to fight a powerful German enemy in Europe, but also a highly militarised Japan in Asia. This put the British empire in danger.
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